I like this post, as it led me to think of my youth. As someone born in 1971, who grew up playing ball at a legitimate sandlot, I remember friends and people in the community would often imitate Rose, or talk about him. And yes, you'd see him on t.v. often outside of the game. For whatever reason, I just wasn't one to pretend to be like him when playing, or caring much if I cracked open a pack of Topps and found a Rose. I'm not sure why, but I didn't like the Reds nor Phillies as a kid. But come to think of it, I can't think of many players in the last 50 years to get that kind of attention. Mike Schmidt didn't, nor Brett, outside of the Summer of 80, and Nolan Ryan certainly didn't, until later in his career. Interesting to think about.
I commented on Twitter a few months back that I thought Rose was the biggest athlete in America in the late 1970s.
A few people pushed back — but I stand by that. The more I've watched old games from the late 70s and early 80s, the more I believe it.
Pete was the sort of player you either absolutely loved or simply couldn't stand. And I don't think we've had any players since him in baseball that elicited that kind of reaction in people.
I still can't get over the fact that Pete signing with the Phillies got more attention than Babe Ruth signing with the Braves. I mean, it's freaking BABE RUTH, lol. But that's what happened.
Considering M. Ali was petering out in the latter part of the decade, I can't think of another sports star that garnered that much attention in the latter 70's.
1978 was the summer Pete Rose came within 12 games of tying Joe DiMaggio’s consecutive hit record. Then in Pete’s 2nd year in Philadelphia, the Phillies reached their first World Series since 1950 and actually won it. Sure enough he made a memorable rescue of the catcher’s dropped pop foul to help win Game 6 in the clutch. I couldn’t stand a single thing about his “running” to first on a walk or sliding headfirst, but greatness is greatness and can’t be denied.
I like this post, as it led me to think of my youth. As someone born in 1971, who grew up playing ball at a legitimate sandlot, I remember friends and people in the community would often imitate Rose, or talk about him. And yes, you'd see him on t.v. often outside of the game. For whatever reason, I just wasn't one to pretend to be like him when playing, or caring much if I cracked open a pack of Topps and found a Rose. I'm not sure why, but I didn't like the Reds nor Phillies as a kid. But come to think of it, I can't think of many players in the last 50 years to get that kind of attention. Mike Schmidt didn't, nor Brett, outside of the Summer of 80, and Nolan Ryan certainly didn't, until later in his career. Interesting to think about.
I commented on Twitter a few months back that I thought Rose was the biggest athlete in America in the late 1970s.
A few people pushed back — but I stand by that. The more I've watched old games from the late 70s and early 80s, the more I believe it.
Pete was the sort of player you either absolutely loved or simply couldn't stand. And I don't think we've had any players since him in baseball that elicited that kind of reaction in people.
I still can't get over the fact that Pete signing with the Phillies got more attention than Babe Ruth signing with the Braves. I mean, it's freaking BABE RUTH, lol. But that's what happened.
Considering M. Ali was petering out in the latter part of the decade, I can't think of another sports star that garnered that much attention in the latter 70's.
1978 was the summer Pete Rose came within 12 games of tying Joe DiMaggio’s consecutive hit record. Then in Pete’s 2nd year in Philadelphia, the Phillies reached their first World Series since 1950 and actually won it. Sure enough he made a memorable rescue of the catcher’s dropped pop foul to help win Game 6 in the clutch. I couldn’t stand a single thing about his “running” to first on a walk or sliding headfirst, but greatness is greatness and can’t be denied.